Contribution of 20-year body mass index and waist circumference history to poor cardiometabolic health in overweight/obese and normal weight adults: A cohort study

•We investigated 20-year BMI and waist circumference histories.•Greater severity of adiposity was related to poor cardiometabolic health in normal weight and overweight/obese adults.•The estimates for variability exposures became null upon adjustment for severity.•Duration of central obesity was a stronger risk factor than duration of general overweight/obesity.•Histories only partly explained the elevated disease risk factors of unhealthy groups.